Two Barisan Nasional (BN) component Parties in Sabah yesterday shot down UPKO Youth Chief Arthur Sen’s claim that the current system of three Deputy Chief Ministers (DCMs) in Sabah does not reflect the ‘1Malaysia’ concept.
MCA Sabah Liaison Committee Deputy Chairman Datuk Paul Kong when contacted for comments on Arthur’s statement, said his personal opinion was for the status quo to be maintained as it had served the State well and had been in place for a long time.
Kong who is also a MCA Central Committee Member and the MCA Penampang Division Chairman, said the three DCMs system reflected the three major races in Sabah just the same as in Sarawak.
“If it is to be reduced to one DCM, then the question is who will be the one to make sacrifice because in politics, everybody fights for more, not for less,” he said.
According to him, the State leaders should not be politicking too much on this issue and instead concentrate on their efforts to help Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Chief Minister Datuk Seri Musa Aman in reviving the state and country’s economy.
When the economy is doing well, most of the problems will become non-issues because everybody will be busy and preoccupied with making money, Kong stressed.
“Again, my most sincere advice to all is to respect our present system, to indulge in less politicking and to stand behind PM and CM to improve our economy,” he said.
Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) Vice President Herbert Timbun Lagadan also support Sabah UMNO Assistant Secretary Datuk Masidi Manjun’s view on the issue.
“I support Masidi’s contention that it is good to have three DCMs as it reflects the State’s unique community groups,” the Assistant Minister of Community Service and Consumer Affair said.
Having three DCMs, Herbert pointed out, is more sensible and better reflection of fairness to the major community group in Sabah rather than having the two-year rotation of Chief Minister continued.
“If ‘1Malaysia’ can be equality and fair opportunity for all the different races in Sabah, having three DCMs is a more practical solution to fulfill the desire of each community to put up its representative as the CM of Sabah.
“I am not convinced that the UPKO Youth Chief’s stand on the three DCMs reflect the stand of the party’s UPKO leadership,” he said.

PKR vice president Datuk Dr. Jeffrey Kitingan suggested that the Barisan Nasional (BN) re-look at the need to have racial-based political parties in the country.

“What does 1Malaysia mean? It is a concept where everybody is equal and they respect each other,” he said, adding that having only one political party for Malaysians would be the way to promote the 1Malaysia concept.

Jeffrey said this when asked to comment on UPKO Youth Chief Arthur Sen’s statement alleging that the Sabah Cabinet which has 3 Deputy Chief Ministers, does not reflect the 1Malaysia concept.

Jeffrey said,” On one level I agree with the statement but on the other level I question the root of the problem which is promoting racial-based political parties”

There should be only one political party which is based on the people’s ideology so there are more Ministers to look after the interest of everyone instead of a particular community, he said.

“This means no Umno, MCA, UPKO or MIC. That would be better and there is no discrimination,” he stressed.

Meanwhile Sen made clarification to his earlier statement. He pointed out that the one DCM concept was done before the PBS rule and all the states, except Sabah, Sarawak and Penang, practice the one DCM concept.

Tourism, Culture and Environment Minister Datuk Masidi Manjun totally disagreed that having three Deputy Chief Ministers in the State Cabinet is not a reflection of Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s 1Malaysia concept.

Responding to the statement of UPKO Youth Chief Arthur Sen yesterday, Masidi said that it is good to have three DCMs as it reflected the State unique community groups.

“The 3 DCMs reflect that we have our own local community representatives” he said, adding that all three DCMs have their own responsibility in serving their communities.

“So the question of wasting the taxpayer’s money does not arise,” he said during launching of Craft Exotica 2009 at the Sabah Museum here.

Yahya when asked to comment on the statement, he said it was Arthur’s opinion.

“In this democratic country, we are all entitled to voice our own opinions or comments. I do not make any comment” he said after launching the FAMA Induction Course at the National Public Administration Campus here.

United Pasokmomogun KadazanDusun Murut Organization (UPKO) Youth Chief Arthur Sen said at the moment, there is a DCM to look after the needs of particular community, namely Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin serving the Muslim Bumiputeras, Datuk Seri Panglima Pairin Kitingan, serving the KadazanDusun Murut community and Raymond Tan for Chinese.

“So there is already the sentiment that the DCM only serve one particular community and this message is not good for the 1Malaysia concept” Arthur said. He was of opinion that the 1Malaysia concept could be better serve if there is only one DCM in Sabah which was the system during past Governments such before the Parti Bersatu Sabah rules.

Arthur pointed out that having 3 DCMs not only does not reflect the 1Malaysia concept but also a waste of ‘tax-payers’ money. Should the CM decide to do away the three DCM posts, he said a non-Muslim Bumiputera should be appointed as the new DCM because the CM is from the Muslim Bumiputera community.

On the appointment of Azman Ruslan as Sabah Umno Youth Chief, Arthur said he welcomed the decision by the movement‘s National Chief, Khairy Jamaluddin.

He however disagreed with the fact that Azman was automatically appointed as the Sabah BN Youth Movement Chief.

“Khairy should have consulted the BN component parties’ Youth movements as they may have their own leaders to be recommended for the post”

Arthur also suggested that Azman be referred to as the UMNO Sabah Youth Movement Liaison Chairman which is the same as how the State Central Liaison Committee Chairman are referred to.

Met at Terminal Two upon his return from Kuala Lumpur, Monday, he said he intends to practise the concept of discussion with colleagues in Sabah BN Youth.

“I believe that through discussions, we would be able to resolve issues and problems,” he said.

On Upko deputy Youth chief Masiung Banah’s call for him to pay more attention to people in the interior, he said as head of Sabah BN Youth, his role covers all the people in Sabah.

“But I am positive as to what he (Masiung) has proposed,” he said, adding that it is very obvious that the interior faces a lot of shortages. He would convene a meeting soon with Sabah BN Youth leaders.

At the same time, Azman said they would invite BN Youth leader Khairy Jamaludin to come to Sabah to make good on what he had promised for the State.

As Sabah Umno Youth chief, his objective is to assist the BN Government to be further strengthened.

He also aims to be the voice of the people and that to achieve it, the 24 Umno Youth division chiefs in the State would be mobilised.

“I want the machinery and division chiefs to become the samurai for Umno as requested by Khairy,” he said.

Umno Youth, he said should become the backbone of the people and party where it implements the vision and objective underlined by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak in his “One Malaysia: People First, Performance Now” concept.

Azman said his duty as Sabah Umno Youth chief and Sabah BN Youth chief is a big challenge but that he is confident with the support and strength from Sabah BN Youth, he would be able to execute his duty with responsibility and determination.

“We would be going into the villages to take note of the people’s welfare and hardship,” he said.

The time has come for less politicking, he said, adding that the people’s welfare is paramount. Azman, 39, who is married with six children, is from Gerakan Daya Wawasan of Kampung Bayangan.

He became active in politics starting 2004 when he was elected Keningau Umno Youth chief, a position he maintained until now.

He obtained his law degree from Universiti Islam Antarabangsa and Masters degree in political science from Hillsbrough University. He is a practising lawyer and has his own law firm.

“The action to bring more component parties in Sabah may lead to the problem of party political flooding which will directly affect the credibility and image of the Barisan Nasional, especially in Sabah,” he said.

Masiung who is also Kuamut Assemblyman, however, has full confidence in the wisdom of the Chief Minister and Prime Minister to study and understand the sensitivity of the BN component parties in Sabah.

He said in the last general election, it was clear that the voters had lost confidence in Gerakan and as such Tan should have the sensible mind to think of his action for the people of Sabah.

In joining Gerakan, Tan showed that it was for his own interest and not for the people of Sabah, especially the Chinese, as he is holding the post of Deputy Chief Minister under the Chinese quota, claimed Tong.

He challenged Tan to step down as Deputy Chief Minister as well as Infrastructure Development Minister, claiming that he had failed to represent the Chinese community as well as in his duties as Minister in charge of infrastructure development.

He said infrastructure in the district such as roads, electricity and water supply were still lacking and have not been addressed despite Tan holding the post for two terms.